Audit: J.Y. Park Summoned, then Income Questioned? "Annual Salary 2-3 Billion Won?"

At a National Assembly audit where controversies regarding government intervention and regime promotion for the global K-culture festival 'FANOMENON' were being addressed, J.Y. Park's personal annual salary suddenly became a hot topic. Amid inquiries into the feasibility and public nature of the event project, an estimated annual salary of 2 to 3 billion won emerged, and eventually, an '8 million won calculation method'—converting his attendance at the audit into a single day's wage—also appeared.

On the 7th, J.Y. Park, the co-chairman of the Popular Culture Exchange Committee, appeared as a witness at the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The main subject of inquiry that day was FANOMENON, a global K-culture festival scheduled to be held next December. It is a large-scale event combining K-pop performances, fandom award ceremonies, and exhibition/experience programs for K-culture companies, with plans for four major domestic agencies—HYBE, SM, YG, and JYP—to participate.

Opposition lawmakers questioned why the government is actively involved when private companies could sufficiently promote large-scale events like FANOMENON. In particular, they raised suspicions that the government might be attempting to use K-culture to achieve regime promotion effects, noting that the timing of the event could coincide with election schedules. Ultimately, the core of the audit that day focused on 'who leads the event and for what purpose government budget and administrative power are being invested.'

However, during the questioning, an unexpected question turned toward J.Y. Park's personal income. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Seung-soo spoke to J.Y. Park with the intent that he "should return to his original job and fulfill his role," and then asked what his annual salary was. When J.Y. Park could not immediately answer the sudden question, Kim Seung-soo directly provided an estimate, saying, "I understand your annual salary is around 2 to 3 billion won."

Following this, Kim Seung-soo converted the attendance at the audit into a daily wage. He remarked that based on his annual salary, J.Y. Park earns about 8 million won a day, making a statement to the effect of, "Even just for today, your daily wage is 8 million won." As personal salary and daily income surfaced in a setting meant to verify the business structure of FANOMENON and the role of the government, the atmosphere at the scene shifted instantly.

Rather than giving a lengthy answer to the questions regarding his personal income, J.Y. Park focused on explaining the purpose of FANOMENON and refuting the suspicions of government promotion. Strongly denying interpretations that the promotion of the event was due to the demands of specific political circles or the President, he said, "Even if someone higher than the President comes, if I think it is not for the sake of our country, I will not do it." He also emphasized, "I am not the type of person to be scared into doing something just because someone tells me to," making it clear that he is participating in the chairmanship and the promotion of the event based on his own judgment.

He also drew a line against the view that J.Y. Park or the four major agencies are trying to take direct economic benefits through FANOMENON. Rather, J.Y. Park explained that from the perspective of the four major agencies, it would be more profitable to hold large-scale performances individually instead of participating in FANOMENON. He claimed that if singers belonging to the four major agencies held individual performances, they could earn 2 to 3 times more profit than through FANOMENON.

Nevertheless, he explained that the reason for promoting the event lies in the expansion effect of the K-culture industry derived from the vicinity of the K-pop performances themselves, rather than the profit from the K-pop performances. The core of FANOMENON is to attract a large number of overseas fans and tourists and then spread consumption and interest to various industries such as games, fashion, lifestyle, and beauty. J.Y. Park said, "If we only think about the four major agencies, it is better not to do it," implying that the ripple effect on the entire domestic culture industry must be considered beyond the interests of specific companies.

He also emphasized FANOMENON as a long-term growth opportunity for the K-culture industry. J.Y. Park said, "If this goes well, it is truly good for our country," and "It is a very precious opportunity that our sons, daughters, and nephews can benefit from." His plan is not simply to create one more large-scale K-pop concert, but to create a platform that connects the stay and consumption of overseas fans visiting Korea to other cultural industry sectors.

Regarding the controversy over regime promotion, J.Y. Park repeatedly distanced himself. He emphasized, "I am not a person who does things for the President or for the Democratic Party of Korea," and said, "I was not even thinking about when the general election is." He reiterated his position that the event is being promoted for the overseas expansion of the K-culture industry, not to match political purposes or election schedules.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Choi Hwi-young, also explained that the government budget is not directly invested into the FANOMENON event itself. He explained that the related budget is utilized to support small and medium-sized K-culture companies so they can showcase products and content to the domestic and foreign spectators flocking to the event. He explained that the structure is not an event centered on large agencies, but rather a way for the government to support small and medium-sized cultural companies to expand their touchpoints with overseas consumers through the occasion of the performance.

Ultimately, at the audit that day, J.Y. Park's personal annual salary was also brought under scrutiny amidst the debate surrounding the public nature of FANOMENON and the appropriateness of government intervention. In the process of examining the economic and cultural effects of the event itself, the numbers '2 to 3 billion won annual salary' and '8 million won a day' that suddenly appeared became another topic of conversation at the audit site. However, J.Y. Park spent more time explaining why FANOMENON is necessary and why he is participating in this project rather than engaging in a dispute over his personal income.

Read the original (Korean)